The film finance market is notorious for favoring blockbusters and commercial potential in place of smaller, less-known productions. Crowdfunding has presented an unprecedented opportunity for independent filmmakers — whether in features, shorts, documentaries, web series, and beyond — to not only raise funds for their projects, but also gain a new audience at the same time. Grab your popcorn, here are our some of our top film campaigns of 2012:
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie
Location: Los Angeles, California
Inspired by the highly popular YouTube show, “A disgruntled gamer/ internet celebrity must overcome his phobia of the worst video game in the world to save his fans.”
Dear White People
Location: Los Angeles, California
This satire takes the issue of black stereotypes in film head on. With over 1,300 contributors, the filmmakers behind this project nearly doubled their goal of $25,000.
ESCAPE FIRE: The Fight To Rescue American Healthcare
ESCAPE FIRE: The Fight To Rescue American Healthcare
Location: New York, New York
After already being selected for the Sundance Film Festival, this team ran a campaign to help finish the movie — an eye-opening portrait of the US healthcare system — in time for its premier.
Speed Sisters: Racing in Palestine
Speed Sisters: Racing in Palestine
Location: Ramallah, Palestinian Territory
A campaign to help finish a documentary on Palestinian women race car drivers. The filmmaker says it best: “Probably the coolest topic in the world.”
The Spirit Level Documentary
Location: London, United Kingdom
A documentary on the promotion of greater equality in the world met with runaway success (over 1,000 contributors) on Indiegogo as it looked to raise money for production and distribution costs.
https://vimeo.com/42506988
Pure Pwnage: Teh Movie
Location: Toronto, Canada
Another popular web series about gaming set up a campaign to film a movie. Let’s just say they pwned.
Sex After Kids
Location: Toronto, Canada
What happens to intimacy when you’re too tired and have spent your day cleaning up after your kids? This is a romantic comedy that parents will be able to relate to.
Mad as Hell: Rise of the Young Turks
Mad as Hell: Rise of the Young Turks
Location: Los Angeles, California
Needing to cover post-production costs, this documentary about a popular online news anchor was able to rally its base of supporters and then some!
https://vimeo.com/53322580
A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT
A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT feature film in pre production
Location: Los Angeles, California
The pitch: An Iranian…Vampire…Western. It doesn’t get anymore unique than that, and nearly 300 funders couldn’t have agreed more!
https://vimeo.com/41895724
Alice Walker: Beauty In Truth
Location: Berkeley, California
This moving documentary tells the story of Alice Walker, a famous poet and inspiring human rights activist.
Southern Baptist Sissies
Location: Los Angeles, California
First created as a play, “Southern Baptist Sissies” confronts the staunch bigotry of a number of America’s organized religions toward the LGBT community. The success and momentum of the play has carried it beyond the stage, and a team raised over $100,000 to see it turned into a film.
From Bedrooms to Billions
Location: London, United Kingdom
The theme of gaming-on-film continues with this English documentary on the UK video games industry from 1979 to 1996.
Also make sure to check out more of our top campaigns from 2012:
Top 12 Entrepreneurial Campaigns of 2012
Top 12 Creative Campaigns of 2012
Top 12 Cause-Related Campaigns of 2012
Top 12 Gadget Campaigns of 2012
Top 12 Community Campaigns of 2012
Top 12 Music Campaigns of 2012
Top 12 Gaming Campaigns of 2012
What was your favorite campaign of 2012? Tell us in the comments!
This page has some problems.
First off, it says it was created December 21, 2010 · Andrew Nunnelly, but it’s for films from 2012. How is that possible?
Second, four of the twelve films are private. Why didn’t Indigo archive the videos that it posted on this page?